Electrolytic carburetor



July 2, 1935. c. H. GARRETT 6 ELECTROLYTIC CARBURETOR Original Filed July 1, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l LEI-55-1.}-

(W/65d Garrett uvvzm' R A TTORNE Y July 2, 1935. c. H. GARRETT 2,006,676

' ELECTROLYTIC CABBURETQR Original Filed July 1, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CW/esli- Garrett mvzm ATTORNEY Patented July 2, 1935 Application July 1, 1932, Serial No..620,364 I Renewed November 30, 1934 Claims.

This invention relates to carburetors and it has particular reference to an electrolytic carburetor by means of which water may be broken up into its hydrogen and oxygen constituents and the 5 gases so formedsuitably mixed with air.

The principal object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character described, a mechanism by means of which water may be readily decomposed into its constituents, and the constituents intimately mixed with each other and with air.'

Another-object of the in means whereby the electro vention is to providelyte level in the carburetor maybe maintained at a more or less constant level regardless of fluctuations in. fluid pressure at the fluid inlet o'f the carburetor.

Another object of the invention is to provide amount of air mixed means whereby the relative with the hydrogen and oxygen may be regulated as desired.

Still another object of the invention is the pro- 'vision of means toprevent loss of hydrogen and oxygen gases during periods in which these gases are not being drawn from the carburetor.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby the hydrogen and oxygen resulting from electrolysis may be formed in separate compartments,

and\ a further object of the invention is the provision of means to periodically reverse the directionof current flow and thereby alternate the evolution of the gases in the separate compartments, to be later intermingled.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the

invention has particular reference to its salient 'features of construction and arrangement'of parts, taken in connection ing drawings, wherein:'

with the accompany- Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of one form of carburetor.

Figure 2 is a modified form. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a pole structed of bakelite or other suitable insulating material. The housing I is so designed as to divide the carburetor into a gas generating chamber 4, "passage 3. -Water under pressure is float chamber'2'a'nd connected by a fluid forced into the carburetor through an opening 5 which communicates with the float chamber 2 through the medium of the sediment chamber 6 and the needle valve orifice 1, which is closed by a needle, valve 8 when the device is not in operation. A float 5 9 surrounds the needle valve 8 and is free-to move vertically relative thereto. Depending from the cover") to the float chamber 2 are two ears I I, located at spaced intervals (on opposite sides of the needle valve 8. The members l2 are pivoted 10 i to the ears II, as shown. The weighted outer ends of the members l2 rest on top of the float 9, and their inner ends are received in an annular groove in the collar l3 which is rigidly attached. to the needle valve 8. s

Within the gas generating chamber 4, a series of spaced, depending plates I4 are suspended from a horizontal member 15 to which a wire it has electrical contact through the medium of the bolt H, which extends inwardly through the housing y l and is threaded into the horizontal member IS. A second series of plates I8 is located intermediate the plates H and attached tothehorizontal member l9, and has electrical contact with the wire 20 through thebolt 2|.

. A gas passageway 22, in which a butterfly valve '22 is located, communicates with the gas generating chamber 4 through an orifice 24. An air inlet chamber has communication with the. gas passageway above the orifice 24. A downwardly opening check valve 25 is in control of the openings 21, and is held inoperatively closed by means of light spring 28.

An adjustable auxiliary air valve 29 is provided in the wallf oi' the gaspa'ssageway 22, which air valve is closed by the butterfly valve 23 when the butterfly valve is closed, .but communicates with the outside air when the butterfly valve isopen.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The chambers. 2 and 4 are first filled'to the 40 level a with a -solution of weak sulphuric acid or other electrolyte not changed by the passage of current therethrough, and the opening 5 is connected to a tank of water, not shown.

The wire I is next connected to the positive pole of a storage batteryor other source of direct current'and the wire 20 tothe negative pole. Since the solution within the carburetor is a conductor of electricity, current will flow therethrough and hydrogen will be given 011 from the negative or cathode plates I 8 and oxygen'from the positive or anode plates M.

The butterfly valve 23 is opened and the gas passageway 22 brought into communication with electrically connected on the top of the check valve 2' causes it to be forced downwardly as shown in dotted lines. The hydrogen and oxygen liberated from the water at the plates II and I4 are drawn upwardly through the oriflce 24 covered by the check valve 30 where they are submquently mixed with air entering through the openings 21 and through the auxiliary air valve 28 I When it is desired to reduce the flow of hydrogen and oxygen from the plates I 8 and H, the current flowing through the device is reduced, and when the current is interrupted the flow ceases. When the butterfly valve 23 is moved to closed position, the check valve 26 is automatically closed by the spring 28. Any excess gas given off during these operations is stored in the space above the fluid where it is ready for subsequent use.

Water is converted into its gaseous constit uents by the device herein described, but the dilute sulphuric acid or other suitable electrolyte.

in the carburetor remains unchanged, since it is not destroyed by electrolysis, and the parts in contact therewith are made of bakelite and lead or other material not attacked by the electrolyte.

The structure shown in Figure 2 is substantially the same as that shown in Figure 1 with the exception that the modified structure embraces a larger gas generating chamber which is divided by means of an insulating plate 3| and is further provided with a depending baiile plate 32 ,which separates the gas generating chamber 33 from the float chamber 34 in which the float 35 operates in the same manner as in Figure 1. Moreover, the structure shown in Figure 2 provides a series of spaced depending plates 36 which are to the wire 31, and a second series of similar plates 38 which are electrically connected to the wire 39 and are spacedapart from the plates}! by the insulating plate 3|. Gases generated on the suriaces of the plates plates 36 and I8 and also-tends to cool the elec- 36 and 38 pass upward through the orifice "a into the gas passageway 40 where they are mixed with air as explained in the description of Figure 1. T

'A pipe 5| bent as shown in Figure Zpasses downwardly through the housing 01 the carburetor and has a series of spaced apertures a in its horizontal'portion beneath the plates 3' and 38. An upwardly opening check valve 53 is in control -of the air inlet 54. When a partial vacuum exists in the chamber 33, air is drawn in through the opening 54 and subsequently passes upwardly through the apertures a. This air tends to remove any bubbles of gas collecting on the trolyte. The check valve "automatically closes when a gas pressure exists within the carburetor and 7 thereby prevents the electrolyte from being forced out 01' the opening 54.

In order to provide for alternate evolution of the gases from the plates 3 and 38, a pole changer 4| shown in Figure 3'is provided, which is actuated periodically by the motor 42 which drives the worm 43 and the gear 44 and causes oscillations of the member 45 which is connected by a spring 46 to the arm 41, thereby causing the pole changer to snap from one position to the other.

In operation, the carburetor shown in Figure 2 is connected as shown in the wiring diagram of Figure 4. A storage battery 48 or other suitable source of direct current is connected to a variable rhecstat 49, switch 50, pole changer 4| and to the carburetor as shown. Thus the rate of evolution of the gases can be controlled by the setting of the rhecstat 49 and the desired alternate evolution of the gases in the compartments of the carburetor is accomplished by means of the periodically operated pole changer 4|.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and. such modification as is considered within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrolytic carburetor including an an:

ode and a cathode, float means to control the level of the electrolyte within said carburetor, means to mix the gases resulting from electrolysis with air, and a check valve independent of said float means to control ingress of air to said carburetor.

2. An electrolytic carburetor including anode and cathode plates, a float actuated valvein con- 1 trol of the electrolyte level within saidcarburetor, means to mix the gases resulting from electrolysis with air, a check valve in control of said means, a second check valve independent of said float actuated valve to prevent loss of gases from said carburetor.

3. An electrolytic carburetor for producing mixtures of hydrogen, oxygen and air, including a series of spaced and-electrically connected anwithin said carburetor, a series of-electrically connected cathode plates spaced between said .anode plates, a float operated valve in control of the electrolyte level within said carburetor, an air inlet to said carburetor and a check valve in control. 01' said air inlet.

4. An electrolytic carburetor for generating hydrogen and oxygen gases from water and for mixing the said gases with air, including. an anode and a cathode partially immersed in an elecl verse the direction of current through said-carburetor.

CHARLES H. GARRETT. v

odeplates partially immersed in the electrolyte 5 

